Jazz Committee Bios

ACTIVE MEMBERS:

Janet Lowry, Vice Chair ::Janet came to Anacortes after working with a community radio station in Champaign, IL, where she was a Board member and hosted a weekly Blues and Jazz show for 10 years. Though not a musician, she is a music lover, supporter, and appreciative audience member. She is also a Board member of the Library Foundation and the Anacortes Farmers Market.

Peter Dowden, Secretary :: Peter Dowden grew up in England and became an enthusiast of Jazz as a teenager. Over time, his tastes expanded from Dixieland to Swing and Modern Jazz. He and his wife, Mary, are fans of KPLU and the APL’s 2nd Sunday Jazz programs.

Peter is a retired mechanical engineer, primarily involved with large scale boring equipment (as used on the Channel Tunnel between England & France). He & his family moved to Seattle in 1968 to work briefly for Boeing. In retirement, Peter has done a wide variety of volunteer work, including working with SHIBA at Island Hospital, the Architectural Committee at Skyline, and the Stream Team of the Skagit Conservation District.

Sheri Miklaski :: Sheri is the Anacortes Public Library Director and liaison to the Jazz Committee and Manieri Endowment Committee. She is not a musician, but grew up in Detroit listening to a lot of Motown and developed an appreciation and love of jazz while attending the University of Michigan. Memories of amazing Earshot Jazz Festival performances from over 10 years ago are still with her and she is excited to work with John Gilbreath on the development of the collection. Sheri also directs the ordering, processing, and display of the collection of CDs, DVDs, and books in the library. She is honored that the Anacortes Public Library is the recipient of the Manieri bequest and committed to fulfilling its goal of promoting the enjoyment and understanding of Jazz and Swing to the community.

Annette Woolsey, Scholarship Chair :: Annette Woolsey comes to the Manieri Jazz advisory committee from Anacortes as a person who is not an artist, teacher, or jazz expert, but who strongly believes that education in the arts is essential to learning, working in respectful partnership with others, and developing the creativity to find solutions necessary in every walk of life. A graduate of the Evergreen State College with major areas of study in Geology and Philosophy, Annette started working to promote arts education when her two daughters were in school. She was the Program Director of Anacortes Youth Arts, a nonprofit organization for five years, then served on its board for two more. She has since earned a certificate in Business Management from Skagit Valley College, done various volunteer work, including five years on the ArtsEd Washington board, membership on the board of the Dance Center in Anacortes, plays recorder in the Island Pipers, is a member of the American Recorder Society and Soroptimist International of Fidalgo Island.

Vince Fejeran, Second Sunday Booking Agent Vince has been a music educator in the Skagit Valley since 1985. After graduating from the University of Puget Sound, he has taught music in the La Conner, Anacortes, Sedro Woolley, and Mount Vernon School districts. Currently he is the Instrumental Jazz Instructor and Jazz History Professor for the Skagit Valley College. He also teaches Elementary and Middle school music for the Immaculate Conception Regional School, and is the director of the Skagit Community Band. Mr. Fejeran is an active jazz musician and is the Trombonist for the groups “Dillingers Clambake.” and “Rivertalk”, among many others.

Chris Terrel, Music Roundtable and Community Laison :: Chris is a photographer and owner/manager of How It Works, a creative local business offering web development, graphic design, and print services; he is also a co-owner/manager of Heart of Anacortes, an outdoor music and arts venue. Chris has been a member of the Jazz Committee since its inception and has applied his many talents and skills to promote jazz, swing, and other musical genres in Anacortes.

Norris Hooton :: Norris Hooton was born in Chicago, Illinois and raised on a farm in Indiana. He began playing clarinet at the age of 9. He attended Indiana School of Music. During the Korean war he played clarinet and bassoon in the Lackland Air Force Base “Band of the West”. He was the principal clarinetist with the South Bend (Ind.) Symphony Orchestra and played in various jazz ensembles. During this period he also acquired a B.S. and PhD in engineering and an M.S. in business. He retired from Allied-Signal in 1987, moving to Anacortes. Since then Norris has been active with several musical organizations including the Skagit Community Band, the Wind Machine and the W. T. Preston Dixieland Jazz Band. Norris regularly works with the Anacortes School System music department giving clinics and helping with the jazz program. He currently repairs clarinets and has a program to provide clarinets to beginning clarinet students.

Paul Brower:: Paul Brower grew up in a musical family. He sang barbershop and gospel quartets with his father and brothers and played bass, piano, and trombone in high school & college then in clubs and resorts. Paul served 4 years in the Navy and then taught at various schools. He learned classical guitar in the 60’s and performed in recitals and with chamber groups.

Paul & his wife, Mary, ran an organic apple orchard & taught Middle School in N. CA from 1980 — 1996, then moved to Anacortes. He is still an active musician, playing with the Northern Lights Jazz Orchestra, Skagit Community Band, Solid Brass Quintet, Camano Junction Swing Band & various pit orchestras at the Lincoln Theatre, SVC and McIntyre Hall.

Gerry Greth ::Gerry, a life-long resident of the San Francisco Bay Area, retired to Anacortes in 2005. His teen years were spent with the Weldonians, where he played the trumpet, valve trombone, baritone and tuba, in both the marching and show bands. The love of music, particularly jazz, have made Gerry and his wife regulars at the Second Sunday series at the library, supporting and participating members of KPLU, and attendees at numerous jazz fests, including New Orleans, Sun Valley, Portland, Monterey and Pender Cove, B.C. While Gerry no longer plays an instrument, he has great respect for the work of the Manieri Foundation and dedicated local musicians, and appreciates the opportunity to be a member of the Jazz Committee.

Pat Rein ::Pat is a retired music teacher who taught elementary and high school bands and choirs for 30 years. He has a love of all types of jazz ranging from small combos up to big bands and Dixieland. He has played trumpet in The Windmachine Big Band and the W.T. Preston Dixieland Jazz Band, and currently he is performing with Camano Junction Big Band and A’town Big Band.

Dick Sadler ::Dick is a retired electrical engineer who has loved jazz most of his life and was hooked on Dave Brubeck, Duke Ellington, and Stan Kenton when his high school classmates were into Elvis, Fabian, and Connie Francis. He has been playing guitar for over fifty years and has played* with many of the jazz guitar greats, including Django Reinhardt, Joe Pass, Barney Kessel, Kenny Burrell, and Charlie Byrd (*Dick playing live along with CDs by the jazz guitar greats). Dick currently lends his guitar playing skills to the Anacortes Senior Ukulele Ensemble and his is excited about participating with the committee in supporting the goals of the Manieri Endowment.

FORMER CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS:

William (Bill) Berry :: Bill Berry started his broadcast career in 1951, and worked as an air personality for 16 years, working with owners the likes of Frank Sinatra, Danny Kaye, Goodson and Todman, and Dorothy Bulliet. In 1962, KAGT in Anacortes became available and was purchased by the Berry family. Bill Berry has been heavily involved in the community since moving to Anacortes in 1965. A member of the boards of the Red Cross, Chinook Enterprises, the Anacortes School Advisory, Jazz Festival, International Broadcasters, and the Washington State Association of Broadcasters. Now retired from the industry, Bill interests have moved to spending more time with his family, traveling , and doing consulting, but he still plans to stay very involved in the community.

Paul Sund :: Paul Sund is a retired oceanographer who studied the relationships between oceanic features and tuna. He was a very early user of SCUBA, being one of the two first SCUBA divers at the UW labs at Friday Harbor. He is also active in the restoration of vintage aircraft and automobiles, and has been a caller for square and round-dancing.

Paul & his wife, Lorraine, are residents of Anacortes. He is a self-taught guitar & banjo player, a member of the Senior Ukulele Ensemble, and performs with the Backyard Band. In retirement, music has become a major aspect of his life including everything from Gospel to Jazz, Traditional Country & the Classics.